Martian Child

2007
PG
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

21K

YOUR RATING

John Cusack and Bobby Coleman in Martian Child (2007)

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Comedy Drama Family

A science-fiction writer, recently widowed, considers whether to adopt a hyper-imaginative 6-year-old abandoned and socially rejected boy who says he's really from Mars.A science-fiction writer, recently widowed, considers whether to adopt a hyper-imaginative 6-year-old abandoned and socially rejected boy who says he's really from Mars.A science-fiction writer, recently widowed, considers whether to adopt a hyper-imaginative 6-year-old abandoned and socially rejected boy who says he's really from Mars.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

21K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations

Trivia
David Gerrold, the author of the book, adopted a son as an openly-gay man. In his novella, the sexuality of the protagonist is not disclosed, but in his novel, he is identified as gay. In the film adaptation, the protagonist is straight (with a female love interest), causing some criticism from members of the gay community.

Goofs
When David receives the letter from child services, the envelope not only has six digits in the zip code instead of five, the state is listed as "CS", which does not exist. However, an early scene includes a tight shot of the front license plate of David's car, which says at the top "COASTAL STATE" where a real license plate would say "OREGON" or whatever. The production designers invented a state, a postal abbreviation (CS), and a ZIP code; bravo for this attention to detail and imagination!

Quotes
David: Dennis, can I just say one last thing about Mars? - which may be strange coming from a Science-Fiction writer - But right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that seems to trouble you, called gravity, all the while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour and whizzing through the milkyway at 600,000 miles an hour in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light; And admist all this frantic activity, fully cognisant of our own eminent demise - which is our own pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die - We reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of entity, sometimes for reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of the time we just reach out and expect nothing in return. Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird? Isn't that weird enough? The heck do ya need to be from Mars for?

Crazy credits
The end credits include the following: "This film was inspired by actual events; however, the characters and events have been fictionalized."

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: American Gangster/Music Within/Before the Devil Knows You're Dead/Dan in Real Life/Control (2007)

Soundtracks
Baby Attacks
From All About the Benjamins (2002)
Written by John Murphy

User reviews115

Review

Featured review

A celebration of unconditional love

This film is about a widowed writer adopting a very difficult child. The child insists that he is from Mars, and is reluctant to have human contact.

"Martian Child" is a warm film that celebrates unconditional love. David's love and patience is constantly tested by Dennis' problematic behaviour. Through open communication, love and respect, they open their hearts to each other. Dennis is an adorable and clever character, even at a young age, he deals with rejection by rejecting others. He even makes up an elaborate story to make himself feel better. It is engaging and sad.